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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26588011">Night Skies</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ketakoshka/pseuds/Ketakoshka'>Ketakoshka</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dread Child Jon [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Magnus Archives (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cults, Dark!Jon, Eldritch Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Genetic Disorders &amp; Abnormalities, Murder, stars as freckles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 13:06:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,403</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26588011</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ketakoshka/pseuds/Ketakoshka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Maxwell Rayner misses the days before Jonathan Grimshaw was born.</p>
<p>Jonathan misses when he didn't have to explain kidnappings to the police.</p>
<p>Callum doesn't miss not seeing in the dark.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Callum Brodie &amp; Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Manuela Dominguez &amp; Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dread Child Jon [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884709</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>252</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Night Skies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Cassiopeia," a young man murmurs and sketches out the constellation in the uppermost corner of his paper. Other constellations litter the once pristine paper for a purpose only in the man's head. His dark skin glitters with white freckles that look like constellations, and if he stares long enough, they disappear and come back again in different patterns.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He's been trying to ignore the people below him, but there’s only so much to do in the rafters of an old, old church… especially an old, old church far from civilization in Norway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, he can't keep quiet any longer and just has to do something. "It's not going to work~," he sing-songs, drawing a terrifying snarl out of the man on the ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Said man, Maxwell Rayner, the leader of The People's Church of the Divine Host looks up at the lazily lounging form of Jonathan Delaney Grimshaw and wishes that the Dark had given their son something to do that would take him far from Ny-Ålesund. Alas, the dread horror sent Jon alongside his former caretaker Manuela Dominga. Jonathan rarely gives a damn what the cult does, but when he's around, Rayner can barely keep control of those subservient to him; they'd much rather listen to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Darkling</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jon disappears into the shadows, only to reappear in a broken pew with a grin on his face that reveals sharp, gleaming teeth. "You look frustrated, Max… perhaps you're getting too old for this." His eyes are not the milky white of the followers, instead a pale, pale blue that shines in the darkness of his flesh. Between his black hair and dark brown skin, Jon looks ethereal instead of a walking shadow like Rayner… Rayner hates him for it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you have a suggestion?" Rayner snaps, barely resisting the urge to strangle him… not that he'd get very far.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Many," Jon replies, "but it'll never work anyways."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll see about that."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Jon had been right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ritual has inexplicably failed and weakened Rayner considerably, enough that the man needed a new body. For Jon, this was simply a casual observation that he couldn't care less about, until… he learned that it was a child.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Jon sits beside the boy in the darkness, his pale blue eyes shining in the grim blackness. "There's nothing to be afraid of," he whispers. "It's just us… and nothing and no one else." Jon can see his frightened face as clear as day; just a few minutes before, he'd been alone in this closet… alone in the darkness… all alone and robbed of a human's most vital sense. "My name is Jon. What's yours?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"...Callum Brodie."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jon smiles, not that Callum can see it. "It's nice to meet you, Callum Brodie… are you afraid of the dark?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It takes a beat and a shuddering breath before he answers, "yeah…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Can't… see."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a soft sound of understanding, Jon produces a white pencil. "I can help with that… all I need you to do is trust me and hold onto this."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Wh-why?" Callum stammers but accepts the pencil nonetheless. "A pencil?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"A white pencil."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How does this help?!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jon laughs and lightly wraps his hand around the child's. "Like this." He guides the pencil to the wood and maps out little stars… little constellations in the blackness. "Cassiopeia," Jon whispers, and if Callum stares hard enough at the little dots, he can almost make them out. "Ursa minor." Another constellation… "Pyxis." Another… "Lepus." Another. "Andromeda." </span>
  <em>
    <span>Another. </span>
  </em>
  <span>"Vulpecula." </span>
  <em>
    <span>Another! </span>
  </em>
  <span>"Musca." </span>
  <em>
    <span>Anoth- </span>
  </em>
  <span>"Caelum."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Callum can </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>There's screaming in the compound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A voice of rough-hewn leaves and the softest of night breezes slides across Jon's mind, drawing an annoyed sound from his throat. Callum traces over the stars, occasionally peeking at the smattering of white freckles on Jon's arms, but he doesn't seem perturbed by the screaming or sudden gunfire. He's come to terms with the fact that Jon is the most dangerous thing in the darkness… the most dangerous thing in the compound, and if Jon doesn't want to hurt him, then nothing will.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a soft plea to his cenend, Jon stretches out the shadows and opens the door to let a little trickle of light in. Then he turns slightly, obscuring his visage under thick, black curls, still damp from the shower, and offers his hand to the boy. "I think it's time to go."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Callum takes his hand without a second of doubt, Jon smiles and lets the boy truly see his face for the first time; right under his left eye is a smattering of white freckles - Cassiopeia.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Jon leads Callum through dark corridors towards the innermost room, the cult's sanctum, the place where the police have cornered Rayner and a fair amount of Jon's people, the ones who did not listen to the Darkling's command. It's bathed in far more light than normal, making Jon grateful that he'd grabbed his black glasses before leaving Ny-Ålesund.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Stay behind me," Jon orders, and once Callum confirms his intentions to do so, the doors burst open with thick, black shadows. A few cops train their guns at the new arrival, but Jon pays them no mind; it's Rayner who has his attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Master Jonathan!" Isabelle, a young dark-born woman cries. "You must go!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he can answer in the negative, Rayner turns on Jon with a wretched snarl. "What are you doing here?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Protecting my covenant from your arrogance…" There's a demure look to many of the remaining congregation. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?" The light grows ever dimmer. "Did you honestly believe that I would let you kill a child when there's no purpose behind it? You didn't need a child, Rayner…" His short but thin body lengthens with the swelling darkness until he seems to tower over the humans. "I've been so patient with you… and I've had enough."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The darkness swells throughout the space, suddenly swamping the lights until there's nothing but the beating of frightened hearts and the sense of something in the darkness, something that can see you even if you can't see it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then there's a terrified scream.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, light returns to the room to find the old and battered form of Maxwell Rayner laying in an unnatural position on the floor with his milky white eyes ripped from his head and the ethereal darkling covered in gleaming stars. The remaining covenant members flee before the lights return to normal, reminded of the power 'Master Jonathan' commands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So, it's just Callum and Jon when the sectioned officers can finally see fully. It's just Callum asking Jon the name of the constellation on the back of his hand, one that hadn't been there in the closet. "This is Ara," Jon whispers, "the altar of the gods… It only comes out when I call upon my cenend."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Callum nods once before looking up at the frozen officers with justifiable worry; they still have guns trained on Jon. “Are you here for me?” he asks, stepping around his protector for the first time. “Did you come to find me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A muslim woman with a purple and green hijab under her helmet comes forward a step, with a stern-faced blonde woman beside her. “Callum Brodie?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Some of the tension in Jon’s spine seems to relax, and he willingly takes a step away from the boy. "You will take care of him then."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde woman narrows her eyes and growls lowly; Jon can feel the Hunt in her, can feel the way it shifts through her mind and body with nervous energy. "Who are you, and why were you with the boy?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Surprise widens his eyes behind the black glass. "That's a fair question… I am Jonathan Grimshaw, the… new leader of the congregation and the keeper of the covenant." The light dims again, allowing Jon to take off his glasses; his pale blue irises cast their internal light on his cheeks as Cassiopeia glitters brightly. "I apologize for the inconveniences today and the abhorrent behavior of the Dark Covenant under Rayner's appalling leadership. The kidnapping of Callum was the final straw."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He steps into a shadow, until only his glowing eyes remain. "Thank you for being so prompt today… And Callum?" The dark-haired teen makes an inquisitive noise. "If you ever need me don't hesitate to call…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"H-how?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Wherever the darkness lies, you'll find me… or I'll find you."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Eventually, Jon will adopt Callum btw.</p>
<p>I don't know if I'll write that but that's what would happen after this.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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